Eastbourne Airbourne

[maidstone weather]

Today I decided to visit the 17th Eastbourne Airbourne 4-day event, allegedly the "World's biggest FREE seafront airshow".

So, upon arrival this was the scene on Eastbourne beach around 1pm:

The weather was quite warm with a gentle breeze, but very cloudy and overcast. We wandered around for ages trying to find a good viewing point, but the crowds were insane!

A few shots from the various attractions around the seafront:

Bomb disposal machine!

Conditions started to brighten as the show started. The first display kicked off at 14:13 with a flypast from a F-86 Sabre:

Next, some contrails and aerobatics from the next flypast - Gnat Pairs- which kicked off at 14:22 - notice how quickly the cloud has cleared,with the misty low cloud forming a distinct line a certain distance away from the coastline.

Shortly followed by the P-51 Mustang at 14:36:

and, this one was a shocker! I'm not sure how many people on the seafront were prepared for the noise issued by a Typhoon!:lol:

Boy was it loud, much louder than thunder, it shook the air and the ground all around, and you could smell the fuel in the air, despite them being some fair distance away from you! Never heard anything like it in my life!

The Typhoon display lasted for 10 minutes - 10 minutes of deafening roars as it flew past!

Thankfully, a much quieter and peaceful sound from these little fellows, representing the "Battle of Britain Memorial Flight" which kicked off at 15:00:

Next up at 15:17 was the Swift Glider team - the glider is attached to the top plane via a string:

This was followed by the Team Guinot Wingwalkers display at 15:38 - some impressive stuff! You wouldn't find me doing this! (all female wingwalkers too!)

A rather daring seagull tries to intersect the two planes, nearly causing a mid-air collision! :lol:

Here, the top plane is upside down with the wing walker upside down,above the 2nd plane. I thought/hoped that the wingwalkers may attempt to make hand contact (as seen on BBC News in the last couple of weeks)but sadly that wasn't the case:

Some aerobatics from the wingwalkers:

and a rather fortunate shot - look how close they are!

Final aerobatics before they left:

Now the turn of the Hurricane, kicking-off at 15:55:

A brief pause, then 4 local lifeboats were sent out to form a circle just off the shoreline, which would then form the area the parachutists should aim to land in:

Conditions were a lot windier at this stage than they were at the start of the show - they sent a test from the plane to work out which way the wind would blow the parachutists:

After a few minutes two parachutists jump out of the plane...

and do some aerobatics:

whilst advertising for Spitfire on his parachute

and finally landing perfectly in the middle of the circle:

Next the 2nd parachutist attempted to land in the circle, but sadly landed much further to the left:

That left parachutists 3 & 4 to land:

Parachutist 3 made quite a splash with his landing: (notice parachutist 4 on the far left)

Parachutist 4 lands:

Therefore, only the first parachutist landed in the circle, to an applause from the audience on the beach.

Now the bit everyone was waiting for - the Red Arrows! :D

In fact we had been waiting quite a while from the clean-up of the parachutists, that hardly anyone (except those that had been before)were prepared for the entrance the Red Arrows made!

They flew directly overhead from the town centre towards the sea - so basically from behind us. If I knew they were going to do it, I might've had my camera ready for them but sadly I didn't!

Anyway, enough talking some more photos:

Forming a classic loop just after their entrance:

There were a further 4 displays after the Red Arrows, but by this stage, after 3 hours in the sun, I was burnt like a lobster!

So I headed home.

Edited August 15, 2009 by maidstone weather

[CardiffStorm]

Looks brilliant. Great photos.:lol:

Edited August 15, 2009 by jamo_s

[NL]

Very nice shots there MW , and i have to agree the Typhoon (Euro-fighter) was amazing and the roar from its engines gave the impression of ripping the surrounding air into shreds and pounded of ya chest with the force of a thousand pound hammer..!!!

Glad to see the Lancaster flying alongside the Spitfire and Hurricane in the Battle of Britain Memorial fly-by as the bomber was absent from the Sunderland airshow this year.

Like the 'Kamikaze' seagull, i got a shot of a herring gull racing the Typhoon from Sunderland last month.

[Coast]

I didn't see you there MW?!!

If I can get through the throngs of people today, I might get some shots up on Beachy Head when I'm dog-walking this afternoon. I actually managed to park on the seafront late yesterday afternoon to see a couple of displays, I might whack some photos up here later.

[maidstone weather]

I didn't see you there MW?!!

If I can get through the throngs of people today, I might get some shots up on Beachy Head when I'm dog-walking this afternoon. I actually managed to park on the seafront late yesterday afternoon to see a couple of displays, I might whack some photos up here later.

I stood on the slope just to the east/left of the Wish Tower Restaurant- pretty much in central position for the planes

[Coast]

OK, a couple from me - the town was absolutely heaving, I just hope it brings in some revenue to make up for last years fiasco short fall!!!

[Mike Storm]

Most excellent shots there MW. I would have liked to have seen the show myself but completey forgot about it. I am having flying lessons so the whole aviation theme is of much interest

[SteveB]

Looks like a great day, always helps when you have the weather for it.

Weston used to have free airshows. Not sure why they stopped, wished they would come back again, made for a good day out.